STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK: The real Quick? Not as seen on TV say teammates

Fans have often seen Jonathan Quick make blocker, pad and glove saves in succession, a Neapolitan variety of stops. Yet his statements seem to come in only one flavor: Vanilla.

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was asked if the real Quick was as serious, businesslike and bland as in his news conference comments.

"No, not at all," Doughty said. "He's awesome off the ice. He likes to have fun. He fools around in practice and he likes to have those kind of games with the guys trying to score on him. He likes to laugh and he's just a great guy."

John Gardner, who coached Quick in his formative years with Connecticut's Avon Old Farms prep school, said Quick's personality on and off the ice belied the painfully understated and unwaveringly humble public persona of Quick.

"I've watched the interviews, and he's very guarded in that respect, and I think he has to be," Gardner told ESPNBoston. "But that's not his personality. He's very outgoing. He was the classic risk-taker at Avon. If you were to put him in a psychological category, it would be 'risk-taker.'"

Doughty said Quick, a huge hip-hop fan and father of a 2-year-old daughter, was affable, forthcoming and gregarious in the locker room.

"He's not like most goalies, most goalies are kind of weird," Doughty said.

"They aren't like most hockey players, you kind of stay away from them. You can talk to Quickie about anything. You can approach him about anything at any time."

Quick's play on the ice has become so consistent that even allowing two goals can be considered an off-night. Captain Dustin Brown has coined the playfully dismissive phrase "Quickie being Quickie" to use on the frequent occasions when Quick turns in a solid and stingy performance between the pipes.

He has established himself as the arguable frontrunner for the postseason most valuable player award and was named a finalist for the league's top goaltender.

So, whoever the real "Quickie" is, he may soon consider a name change, according to winger Dustin Penner.

"Jonathan Quick?" Penner asked. "You mean Vezina Smythe?"

Hockey a family business for Nolan

Kings rookie Jordan Nolan has been among their most consistent performers on the ice and most poised players off of it.

His father Ted won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year with the Buffalo Sabres. He also coached the New York Islanders after a career that saw him play just 78 NHL games.

Like his father, Nolan is a gritty winger with a composed exterior but no shortage of fire inside.

"He's my dad first rather than the coach. We don't talk too much about hockey, just about hard work," Nolan said. "That's what he teaches his players, if you work hard, things are going to work out for you."